How to Get High-Authority Backlinks from Relevant Websites In 2024

Backlinks are the literal backbone of SEO. 

A backlink serves as a vote of confidence in your content from other websites, which signals to search engines that your content is valuable. 

You won’t be able to climb the rankings and beat out competitors unless you have an authoritative backlink profile – especially in today’s ever-changing search landscape. 

In fact, many SEO gurus assert that backlinks from high-authority sites are the #1 ranking factor that matters most, bar none.

What proof do they have that this is the case?

The #1 result on Google will have an average of 3.8x more high-authority backlinks than positions 2 – 10, according to an in-depth study by Backlinko. 

So if your SEO strategy doesn’t include going after high-quality backlinks, you’re missing out on higher rankings and more traffic. 

Read on to discover the most effective ways to target and acquire backlinks from relevant and authoritative websites in your niche.

What Are High-Authority Backlinks? 

Before we dive into high-authority backlinks, let’s make sure we’re all on the same page. If you’re new to SEO, the concept of backlinks might seem a bit unclear. Here’s a quick breakdown: 

A backlink is simply a link from another website that ‘points back’ to yours. It’s created whenever you include a link to your website within content on another site. 

This could be through guest posts, directory submissions, forum comments, or any place where you can add a link.

However, not all backlinks are of equal quality, and some aren’t worth pursuing at all. 

Enter high-authority backlinks, which are links coming from relevant, authoritative websites that Google already trusts. 

These types of backlinks will have the most positive impact on your SEO, which is why it’s worth putting time and resources into pursuing them. 

Conversely, low-authority backlinks will have next-to-no impact on your rankings (neither negative nor positive). 

Also, it’s crucial not to understate the importance of relevance here. In other words, your backlinks must come from websites that hold some type of relevance to your content. 

Relevance can be:

• Direct. When a website has direct relevance to yours, it means they cover the same topics and cater to the same audience. More often than not, websites with direct relevance are your competitors, so it’s best to avoid this type of relevance whenever possible. 
• Audience-adjacent. A link is considered relevant whenever it comes from a site that shares your target audience. An example would be a construction rental company linking to a construction blog. They aren’t competing for the same business, but they do share the same audience. 
• Contextual. Some websites are only relevant to yours in context. For example, a news website wouldn’t be traditionally relevant to a construction company. Yet, if they’re running a story about construction rental businesses, the link is now contextually relevant. 

It’s super important to ensure the high-authority links you target are also relevant. Otherwise, they won’t impact your rankings at all.  

We’ll explore more about what makes a backlink authoritative (and how you can check for it) below. 

Why are backlinks a thing anyway?

The concept of backlinks goes back to Google’s beginnings. When Larry Page and Sergey Brin were brainstorming ideas for Google, they drew inspiration from a familiar concept: academic citations. 

Like research papers that gain credibility through quality citations, they envisioned websites earning authority through backlinks in a similar manner.

Think of it this way: Medical and scientific journals with numerous reputable citations carry more weight than those without. Google’s PageRank algorithm applies the same principle to websites. 

If your website boasts backlinks from high-authority sources (think government institutions, universities, and trusted companies), your own content is seen as more authoritative and trustworthy.

It’s “guilt by association” with a positive twist – instead of guilt, you earn credibility!

Recognizing the power of backlinks ignited a quest among SEO experts to acquire these valuable links. 

However, to target the right websites, they first need to understand a key question: What makes a website truly authoritative?

What’s Domain Authority?

Determining the level of authority a website has is crucial before pursuing a backlink. 

Why is that?

It’s because there are high-quality and low-quality backlinks, and low-quality backlinks won’t have any impact on your rankings. 

This means acquiring backlinks from sites that aren’t seen as authoritative or trustworthy is a waste of time, but how can you tell the difference?

Enter domain authority (DA), a metric coined by Moz used to convey a website’s authority and trust level. Websites receive a score ranging from 1 – 100, with 1 being very poor and 100 being perfect. 

While it’s not an officially recognized ranking factor by Google, Moz included many of Google’s known ranking factors into its equation. 

Since official domain authority metrics from Google aren’t available (they stopped displaying PageRank data back in 2016), third-party approximations are the next best thing. 

Besides Moz’s DA score, SEO software company Ahrefs has its Domain Rating, which is another score that rates the rankability (and overall trust level) of a website. 

You can use our free domain authority checker tool to check the DA score for any website. Enter a URL, check the CAPTCHA, and hit the button to see a site’s DA score (even your own). 

As a rule of thumb, you should check the DA score for every site you intend to pursue backlinks from to ensure they’ll positively impact your rankings. 

Typically, sites with high domain authority are along the lines of industry thought leaders, enterprise-level companies, universities, nonprofits, and government agencies. 

Here’s a quick breakdown of DA score levels:

• DA/DR scores ranging from 0 – 30 aren’t worth pursuing because they’ll have virtually no impact on your rankings. 
• DA/DR scores ranging from 30 – 60 are fair game and worth conducting outreach to pursue. 

• DA/DR scores ranging from 60 – 90 are highly authoritative and will have highly positive impacts on your rankings. This level of link-building often requires a partnership and editorial-strategy to achieve. 

• DA/DR scores 90 and above are often legacy websites that may be unattainable or too expensive (think websites like CNBC). 

A high domain authority isn’t everything

While backlinks with high domain authority scores are certainly valuable, you shouldn’t let high DA scores blind you. Here’s why:

Relevance is king

Imagine you have a website about vegan baking. A backlink from a high-authority sports website might seem impressive, but for your target audience, it carries little weight.  Search engines prioritize relevance above all else, and they’ve become extremely adept at identifying it. 

In fact, Google will simply ignore irrelevant links, despite how authoritative they may be. 

Here’s the cold, hard truth: A backlink from a niche baking blog with a moderate DA will have more of an impact on your SEO than the high-authority sports link.

That’s why you shouldn’t place your emphasis entirely on high DA scores. Instead, ensure each high DA link you pursue also has some form of relevance (see the types of relevance above). 

Don’t underestimate niche websites 

Don’t discount the potential of new websites with lower DAs. 

If a new site is producing high-quality content within your niche, it has the potential to become a major player in the future. 

Building relationships with these up-and-comers early on can pay dividends when their authority grows. If they’re actively investing in SEO (69% of companies do), then they’ll likely become authoritative sooner rather than later. 

When it comes to looking for high authority links, there are two things to keep in mind:

Focus on quality over quantity: It’s usually better to have a few high-quality, relevant backlinks than a large number of irrelevant ones. Prioritize links from websites that complement your content and resonate with your target audience.

Building long-term relationships: By focusing on building genuine relationships with website owners in your niche, you can secure valuable backlinks now and cultivate partnerships that benefit you both in the long run. Building partnerships and editorial strategies will help you snag backlinks with DA scores in the 70s and 80s. 

The takeaway: A well-rounded backlink profile should include a mix of high-authority and niche-relevant links. Prioritize quality and relevance over pure DA scores, and keep an eye out for promising new websites within your field.

The 16 Types of Backlinks 

Link-building has evolved substantially since its beginnings in the late 90s, as there are now 16 distinct types of backlinks that SEOs target. 

However, some types of links are superior to others. For instance, editorial links on relevant, authoritative websites will do more for your SEO than getting listed in a general business directory. 

Here’s a look at all 16 types of backlinks in descending order of value (i.e., the most effective backlink types are at the top of the list). 

#1: Editorial backlinks 

An editorial backlink is when a high-authority website links to one of your content pieces to support its own work. 

An example would be a website linking or embedding an infographic you created that has helpful statistics or industry information. Other ways you can obtain editorial backlinks include:

• Another website cites your content as a source for one of their posts 
• Someone vouches for the quality of your website and provides a link 
• A website chooses to include your website in a link roundup 
• Someone interviews an employee from your website and includes a link 

The best way to acquire these links is to create high-quality, data-driven content that’s valuable to your target audience. 

If you do that, other websites will start to notice and link to your web pages, essentially letting your content sell itself. That’ll make outreach a breeze; if the post is relevant enough, you won’t have to work too hard to promote it.

In fact, some of the backlinks you’ll acquire won’t involve any outreach at all. Bloggers and content creators are always on the hunt for relevant statistics, videos, and infographics to use on their websites. So, if you provide the goods, you’ll generate backlinks without having to send a single email (although following up with outreach to build a relationship is always a good idea – see below).  

#2: Relationship-based backlinks 

This type of backlink blossoms out of a relationship with another website, journalist, or content creator. 

Once they begin to link to your content more than once, it’s considered a relationship-based backlink. 

These are extremely valuable because they aren’t a one-off thing. If another content creator views you as an authoritative thought leader in your field, they’ll likely link to your content more than once, maybe even dozens of times – which is great news for your backlink profile. 

How can you establish these types of relationships?

You can by paying close attention to the editorial backlinks that you pick up. Whenever you notice that another website has linked to one of your pages, do some outreach via email or social media. 

Formally introduce yourself, and thank them for linking back to your website. From there, you can provide some additional links to your high-quality content for further reading. 

Not only that, but you should praise their blog content and offer to include a backlink on your website to their content, which is an excellent way to kickstart a mutually beneficial relationship where you both link to each other’s pages. 

If you keep this up, you’ll build a bustling network of link partners who will consistently supply you with valuable backlinks. 

#3: Guest blogging backlinks 

Another age-old tactic for acquiring backlinks is to write guest posts on other websites in exchange for a backlink. 

While guest blogging can be a reliable way to generate high-authority backlinks, you must know how to do it properly. 

Otherwise, Google could think you’re trying to game the system with spammy links. 

Most importantly, your guest posts must be relevant to your website and provide valuable content for the website you’re posting on. 

Why is that?

It has to do with Google’s rigorous quality standards for its search rankings. Google only wants to display the highest quality, most relevant results for search queries. 

If the top results suddenly become irrelevant, spam-heavy articles without any valuable information, Google will lose business, as searchers will go elsewhere. 

That’s why your guest posts must be of the utmost quality and relevancy for your target audience if you want to rise through the rankings. 

To find the most success, only establish guest post relationships with other high-quality, trustworthy websites in your niche (be sure to check their DA score with our free tool first). As long as you do that, your guest post relationships will yield many high-authority backlinks. 

#4 HARO backlinks

HARO (Help-a-Reporter-Out) is a platform that connects journalists in need of expert sources with relevant industry professionals online. 

In other words, it’s basically a backlink-generating machine. 

It works like this: several emails go out each day containing hundreds of journalist queries organized by industry (i.e., business and finance, high tech, education, etc.). Industry professionals can then browse these queries and respond to them. 

More often than not, journalists are after quotes from industry experts that they can use in their stories. 

If they choose your response, they’ll provide a link back to your website alongside your quote/resource. HARO is so valuable because it can lead to high-authority backlinks from major news outlets and reputable websites in your niche. 

That’s not to say that generating backlinks through HARO is a breeze, as there are fierce levels of competition. It’s likely for each query to receive dozens or even hundreds of replies, so your pitch needs to stand out. 

How HARO works (step-by-step)

Here’s how you can get started as an industry professional on HARO:

1. Sign up: Create a free HARO account and select the categories relevant to your expertise.
2. Receive HARO emails: You’ll get three emails daily (morning, afternoon, and evening) containing queries from journalists across various fields.
3. Scan for relevant queries: Comb through the emails to find opportunities where you can provide valuable insights.
4. Craft a compelling pitch: Respond with a concise, well-written pitch that demonstrates your expertise and directly addresses the journalist’s query.
5. Follow guidelines and deadlines: Adhere to the journalist’s specific instructions and submit your pitch promptly. Journalists will quickly ignore responses that don’t follow their guidelines (or are irrelevant), so double and triple-check the instructions and deadline. 

Tips for HARO success:

• Speed: Respond to relevant queries quickly to increase your chances of selection. As stated before, it’s normal for journalists to receive hundreds of replies, and the early bird tends to get the worm. 
• Quality: Put effort into your pitches. Proofread carefully and tailor your response precisely to the query. Also, try to think of ways that you can make your pitch unique from others. Do you have unique first-hand experiences to share or insights that other professionals don’t know about?
• Follow-up etiquette: A polite follow-up is acceptable, but avoid being pushy.

#5: Backlinks from free tools 

There’s an SEO-specific reason why we have so many free tools that anyone can use on the HOTH website.  

Besides wanting to help as many people as we can, free tools are a fantastic way to acquire high-authority backlinks naturally. 

For instance, how many website owners need to conduct keyword research and check competitor backlink profiles each day?

The answer is in the thousands.

For example, many website owners flock to our free SEO tools (the keyword planner tool and backlink tool in particular) to meet their needs. Beyond that, they also share our tools on their websites, blog posts, and social media profiles, generating loads of backlinks.

For instance, Hubspot included a link to our local SEO tool in one of their blogs, which you can see here:

Our free tools help us snag high-authority backlinks like this all the time, which is why we love them so. 

You can also incorporate this strategy on your website by providing free tools or another valuable free resource. 

To come up with a helpful tool, do some research on your audience to uncover their problems and pain points. After that, see if you can come up with a tool (or scale down a paid tool) that solves those problems. 

Next, do some outreach to high-authority websites in your field to see if they’ll link to the tool in their content (or review it).

#6: Press release backlinks 

Press releases are a classic public relations tactic and happen to work wonders for acquiring backlinks. 

If you’re rolling out a press release containing big news from your company, journalists in your niche may create posts about it and link to it. 

Even better, high-authority media outlets can report on and link to your press release, which are the cream of the crop (they’ll have a highly positive impact on your search rankings). 

Here are a few news topics that are worthy of creating a press release for:

• Launching a new product line or service
• Opening a new location 
• Making a charitable donation 
• Presenting an award you recently received 
• Highlighting achievements from your team 
• Announcing a new partnership or sponsorship with another company
• Rebranding your business with a new name or logo 

These are all subjects that are bound to generate a buzz online, so don’t hesitate to create product releases about them.

However, there’s one topic you should avoid – and that’s time-sensitive events. If your goal is to generate traffic and backlinks from a press release, then you shouldn’t mention an upcoming promotion or event. 

Why is that?

It’s because as soon as the event or promotion happens, your press release is no longer relevant, and you’ll have to take it down. 

Stick with ‘evergreen’ press release topics that don’t have expiration dates. That way, they’ll continue to generate traffic and provide link juice to your content. 

#7: General website directories 

There are plenty of website directories out there, and getting listed on them will score a backlink for you. 

In fact, backlinks from general directories are among the easiest to get. For the most part, they accept links from any type of website, regardless of the topic, industry, or even its quality. 

How valuable are they?

Outside of the major players (see below), Google doesn’t contribute much ranking power to most general directories online. Once again, it has to do with Google’s obsession with quality and relevance, which these directories largely ignore. 

That doesn’t mean you should entirely ignore general directories; it’s quite the opposite. It’s just that you shouldn’t go hog wild getting your website listed on every general directory online, as that won’t amount to much. 

Instead, focus only on the largest, most trusted website directories, such as Yelp, Yellowpages, and Local.com, as Google does value their links.

#8: Niche website directories 

Instead of getting listed on tons of general directories, you’ll find more success focusing on a handful of niche directories. 

What are those?

A niche directory contains business listings for specific industries and topics. 

They tend to be more selective and more challenging to get listed on than general directories and have a specific focus. For instance, if you sell fitness equipment, you could search for niche directories that list fitness equipment providers. 

An example would be G2, a niche directory for software companies. 

Google values niche directories far more than general directories for two reasons. 

First, they have a clear focus and target audience instead of being geared toward everyone/everything. Next, they don’t accept anyone who applies. Instead, they have higher quality standards than general directories, which is what Google wants. 

While it may be harder to find niche directories, getting listed on them will positively affect your SEO profile. 

Also, as long as the directory is relevant to your niche, you don’t have to stop at just one link to your website. If you have the content for it, you can get more pages from your website listed in the directory, which will help your SEO efforts even more. 

#9: Paid Links 

While you can pay companies, websites, and publishers for backlinks, it’s not always a good idea. 

Google views paid backlinks as a ‘black hat SEO’ tactic that aims to trick the algorithm into ranking content higher that didn’t legitimately deserve it. Paid links pose a risk as a result, as using them can lead to Google penalizing your site.

Does that mean you should NEVER pay for backlinks?

It actually doesn’t, as there are ways to pay for backlinks while avoiding scrutiny from Google. In a nutshell, the way to do it is to make the links look as natural as possible. 

That means if you do pay for links, you need to make sure that the links are from high-quality, relevant websites. Moreover, ensure the content you’re getting links for is some of your absolute best work. 

If you pay for guest posts and follow the two rules above, your paid links will likely pass as quality links – remember to make them appear as natural as possible. 

Despite all the risks because of Google’s staunch stand against paid links, paying for backlinks is a practice that’s still very much alive, and it’s not only dastardly black hat SEOs that are doing it.

How to make paid links work 

Some white-hat SEO gurus still pay for links; they just know how to make them appear natural. 

The risk is akin to speeding on the highway. Sure, you could get pulled over for a ticket, but there’s no denying that driving faster will get you to your destination quicker. 

In the same vein, paid links can increase your search engine rankings; otherwise, nobody would still do it. 

Pro tip: You never want to pay a website owner directly for a backlink (i.e., offering $500 in exchange or a link pointing to your site), as that’s a blatant link scheme and a surefire way to get caught. Instead, there are ways to buy high-authority links without directly violating Google’s policies. 

A popular method is to outsource your link-building strategy to a trusted agency that can earn you desirable backlinks. 

While you’re technically paying for backlinks, using this method is not against Google’s rules. 

That’s because you’re paying someone to create resources, perform outreach, and build relationships on your behalf, which isn’t a link scheme. 

There are some links that you can buy directly without getting in trouble, but they’re nofollow links. 

What are those?

A nofollow link will only have a marginal impact on your search rankings, as it’s a signal to Google’s algorithm not to consider the link. While SEOs used to think that nofollow links passed no link juice whatsoever, that’s not entirely true. 

Nofollow links still pass a tiny amount of link juice to your site, and they can still generate traffic for you – regardless of the nofollow tag. 

Conversely, dofollow links do affect search engine rankings, which are the types of backlinks you want to target the most. 

For this reason, you should do your best to ensure every link you acquire is a dofollow backlink; otherwise, you won’t gain as much visibility on search engines.

#10: Business profile links

Another type of backlink is a business profile link, which exists on social media platforms (Facebook, LinkedIn, etc.), industry directories, and local citation profiles. 

These types of backlinks are especially important for local SEO strategies, as these business profiles are where consumers go to discover local products and services. 

The theory here is simple, as you create accounts for your business on different platforms, look where you can include a backlink to your website. Yelp, Facebook, LinkedIn, and YellowPages are all examples of platforms that allow you to link back to your site, so don’t forget to create an account for your business on each one. 

Business profile links are among the easiest to acquire, so make sure someone at your company is in charge of including a backlink whenever you create a new profile on a platform or directory.

Another type of backlink is a business profile link, which exists on social media platforms (Facebook, LinkedIn, etc.), industry directories, and local citation profiles. 

These types of backlinks are especially important for local SEO strategies, as these business profiles are where consumers go to discover local products and services. 

The theory here is simple, as you create accounts for your business on different platforms, look where you can include a backlink to your website. Yelp, Facebook, LinkedIn, and YellowPages are all examples of platforms that allow you to link back to your site, so don’t forget to create an account for your business on each one. 

Business profile links are among the easiest to acquire, so make sure someone at your company is in charge of including a backlink whenever you create a new profile on a platform or directory.

#11: Webinar links 

It’s a fact that a link will get more clicks when it provides a valuable resource for your audience. 

The principle is the same as a squeeze page for generating email leads – you provide a freebie in exchange for something valuable. In the case of a squeeze page, it’s a customer’s email address. 

In our case, the prize we’re after is a backlink that generates a lot of organic traffic. 

How do you do that?

You can by providing a link to a webinar (or podcasts) with valuable insights, techniques, and information for your audience. 

In the case of webinars, you’ll gain more value from the links if you record them and archive them on your own website so viewers can always access them.. 

A recorded webinar is a powerful tool you can use to not only score backlinks but also generate a ton of organic traffic. That’s especially true if your webinar contains valuable information your audience can use to better their lives.

Podcasting is another way to get backlinks. 

If your podcast has a high-profile guest or contains something unique (such as proven-effective digital marketing techniques), the chances are high that other content creators will link to your episodes, generating backlinks for you in a very natural way. 

You can also use your podcasts and webinars for future guest post outreach opportunities, so make sure to hold onto them in your archives.

#12: Sponsorship links

Another option is to mimic sports athletes and go for sponsorships. Yet, rather than trying to score your photo on the Wheaties box, you’ll want to form sponsorships with high-authority websites in your field. 

Sponsorship links offer a way to secure placement on reputable sites, boosting your SEO in the process.

These are backlinks you acquire from another website in exchange for some form of compensation. This compensation could be:

• Money (direct sponsorship)
• Free products or services
• Reciprocal links (if you link to them as well)
• Other forms of promotion or benefits

How sponsorship links work

Usually, you would reach out to websites within your niche that have high domain authority (DA) and propose a sponsorship arrangement in exchange for a backlink.

From there, your backlink will be featured on a dedicated “Partners” or “Sponsors” page. This signals to search engines that you have a legitimate association with the website.

Sponsorship links can be a valuable tool, but they come at a cost. You’ll need to weigh the potential SEO benefits against the financial investment or other resources involved in the sponsorship arrangement.

Key point: Avoid sitewide links As mentioned below, sitewide links (those placed in a site’s footer or sidebar) are less impactful for SEO because Google devalues them. While they aren’t necessarily harmful, they don’t offer the same boost as a relevant backlink placed directly within a website’s content.

#13: Award badge backlinks 

Here’s a type of backlink that most SEOs overlook: the branded award badge. 

Create an award or special ranking for other websites in your field. It’s important not to skimp here; make it a legitimate award worth winning – complete with a sleek branded badge they can place on their website (which is actually a backlink to your site). 

It’s crucial to note that it can take some time to establish your badge as something valuable and sought-after in your field, so this is a bit of a long-term strategy. 

Once you do, however, websites in your niche will start to line up to receive your awards, which will translate into high-authority backlinks for you.

How it works

1. Design a legit-looking award: Focus on a specific aspect of your field (e.g., “Best Sustainable Fashion Brands,” “Top Pet Blogs of the Year”). Ensure your selection criteria are clear and based on merit.
2. Create an eye-catching badge: The badge itself should be visually appealing and serve as a symbol of achievement. The cooler it looks, the more other websites will want to include it. 
3. Promote your award: Spread the word to related websites and encourage them to participate.

Why it’s a smart strategy

Websites crave recognition: Awards provide social proof and credibility for other businesses, making your badge desirable.

Viral potential: If your award gains respect, sites will share their win, spreading awareness of your badge, backlink, and brand. 

Key point: Award badge backlinks are a long-term strategy Building a reputable award takes time and consistent effort. However, with a well-executed award program,  you can steadily gain high-quality backlinks as websites proudly display their badges.

#14: Backlinks from comments 

Many websites, such as Forbes, Medium, and user forums like Reddit, allow you to include links in your comments. 

You should be able to guess where this is going. 

By commenting on these websites, you can include links pointing back to your content, which can help you accumulate backlinks. 

Yet, this is a strategy you should use in moderation. 

If you comment and link back to your site on every website you find, Google will likely flag them as spam. 

Not only that, but the last thing you want to do is include a backlink on a low-authority website. Instead, stick to websites that have a high DA score and already rank high on search engines, like Forbes and Medium. You should also target websites that are within your niche.

#15: Backlinks from forums

Forums offer a chance to earn backlinks while engaging with your target audience. However, proceed with caution – as overt self-promotion will backfire.

The wrong approach

Avoid blatant advertising like “CLICK HERE to check out our amazing products and services now!”. Users will ignore this, and it could displease search engines.

The right approach

• Be relevant: Seek out forums where your expertise aligns with ongoing discussions.
• Be helpful: Offer genuine insights and solutions to users’ problems.
• Introduce links organically: When it adds value to the conversation, you might say something like: “Hey [forum poster], I noticed you’re struggling with writing compelling blog CTAs. We recently wrote a comprehensive guide on this; maybe it’ll help!”

Why this works

Prioritizing valuable contributions to the community means your backlinks become natural extensions of the conversation. This establishes your expertise and increases the likelihood of people clicking through to your website.

#16: Footer, header, and sidebar links 

Lastly, you should know that where your link shows up on a page affects its value. 

In particular, Google does NOT consider links that show up in the header, footer, and sidebar of a page valuable.

Why is that?

It’s because these are ‘sitewide links’ that appear on every website page. 

Google’s algorithm has learned to assess the relevance and value of a link based on where it appears on the page.

Which spot on the page has the most value?

Links embedded in the middle of the body content of a page will always carry the most value. Backlinks in this area serve a purpose for readers and have a use and a context (supporting the blog content with additional relevant information). 

If one of your backlinks appears in the header, footer, or sidebar of a page, Google will largely ignore them, as it views them in the same context as navigational links (Home, About Us, etc.). 

So whenever you do outreach to acquire backlinks, ensure that your clients place them in the body of their articles and not in the header, footer, or sidebar.

Backlink Building Strategies

Now that you know more about the 15 types of backlinks, let’s learn some proven techniques for acquiring them. 

Replacing broken links 

A great way to acquire links and provide public service for the internet is to replace broken links online with your content. 

Link rot is a real thing, and there are thousands of broken links online as a result. 

To find them, you can use Ahrefs Broken backlinks tool. The goal is to find broken links for content that you can easily replace. For instance, if you find a broken link for a blog on a topic you’ve already written about, you can simply replace it with your existing blog. 

Here’s how it works. 

First, log in to your Ahrefs account and select the Site Explorer tool. From there, enter the URL of a website you want to check for broken backlinks. 

Ahrefs will direct you to the website’s Overview, but we want to select Broken backlinks under the Backlink profile section. 

You’ll need to contact the website owner to replace the link. Explain that you found a broken link but have an adequate replacement. As long as there are no conflicting interests, they’ll likely agree to it. 

The skyscraper technique 

A fantastic link-building strategy involves outdoing competitor content to poach their high-authority backlinks.

It works like this:

1. First, check Google search for top-ranking pieces of content in your niche that have desirable backlinks (you can use our backlink checker tool to check out their link profile). 
2. Brainstorm ways to create a similar piece of content that’s 10x better. (i.e., go into more detail, provide new insights, and include a video or an infographic)
3. Publish your content and reach out to the original post’s backlinks. 
4. Link to your piece and let them know you’d like them to link to your content instead. If it is 10x better than the original, they’re more likely to link to your content instead.

This is a highly effective technique that you can use to penetrate the top results on the SERPs (search engine results pages).

The proof?

According to a case study by Hubspot, they were able to use the skyscraper technique to drive over 70k page views. 

Creating infographics 

Infographics are one of the most effective types of content you can create to acquire backlinks. 

They’re great because they convey complex information in a visual manner – making it far easier to understand. In fact, posts with images contain a 650% higher engagement rate. 

An infographic can contain eye-opening statistics, crucial facts, and other relevant information. 

Moreover, bloggers love linking to infographics because they convey information effectively. As such, if you create a detailed, visually pleasing infographic containing relevant facts, many other bloggers will link to it – generating natural backlinks for you.

Final Takeaways: High-Authority Backlinks 

If dominating search results is your goal, high-authority backlinks are essential. They signal to search engines that your content is trusted and valuable. Since Google’s earliest days, links have been the backbone of its ranking algorithm.

Building a strong backlink profile takes focus and effort, but the rewards are undeniable: higher rankings, increased visibility, and greater authority in your niche.

Ready to Take Action?

If you haven’t yet developed a comprehensive link-building strategy, now is the time! Check out our elite-level link-building services at The HOTH today.  

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